Heart
by Hikaru Maiden
Summary: Someone new joins the group of four guys.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own _Saiyuki_.

Note: I own Tara Belle.

Hikari Maiden: I enjoy creating the fan fiction a whole lot more when I insert characters I create. I get more into creating my fan fiction. I feel more excited about creating my fan fiction. I feel more enjoyment creating my fan fiction. Otherwise, it feels more like a chore than fun. This is the truth. I mean, I even tried stories I place the character in my shoes. This didn't work. I got flamed. The idea had nothing to do with anything and my fan fiction confused and bored everyone as well as myself. I tried fan fiction based on the characters and plot. This didn't work. I got flamed. I'm told I'm not sympathetic enough, or that I'm too sympathetic. I don't want this to feel like a chore full of boredom. I want this to feel like lots of fun. I beg all my reviewers to accept the 'Mary-Sue' as a type of style. Judge my fan fiction based on my inserted character and the interaction amongst the other characters. Don't judge my fan fiction by the fact that no one enjoys a 'Mary-Sue'. I'm one of those people with a personality like a 'Mary-Sue' and that's probably why I find it rather frustrating and boring to try and not do a 'Mary-Sue'.

**Heart**

~ Chapter One ~

Gojyo Sha grinned above his cards. "Eee-hee-hee-hee!" _He's so mine!_

Goku Son looked up from his hand of cards at the young half youkai, half human with raised eyebrows and a confused expression. "What the heck are you laughing at? I'm about to kick your butt." _Moron._

Gojyo shook his head from side-to-side and sang, "Uh-uhhhh!" He placed between him and Goku two Aces and two Kings. _Gotcha!_

"AUGH! NOT AGAIN!" _Not fair! He cheats!_

"Ha! I win again!" _Poor sport._

Goku glared and pointed a finger at the young man. "You cheat!"

"I so did not, you little punk!" _How dare he?_

"You so did, you ero kappa!" _How dare he?_

"Baka saru!"

"Don't call me a stupid monkey!"

"Don't call me a pervy water sprite!"

In the front passenger seat, Sanzo Genjyo clenched his teeth. _Those two seriously grate on my nerves!_

Hakkai Cho noticed from the corner of his eye. _Oh, no! _"Easy, Sanzo."

The priest grumbled, "I wish those two would shut up." _My head is beginning to pound with those two morons._

Hakkai sighed. "Hopefully they'll tire out soon." _Oh, Sanzo…_

Sanzo gave Hakkai an odd look. "You've got to be kidding me. Those two? Tire out? Soon? All they do is bicker as if an old, married couple." _I realize I said something off the wall just now, but it's every bit the annoying truth._

This comment made Hakkai snort and burst into a fit of laughter. "Point made." _He has a strange sense of humour._

Gojyo and Goku gave Hakkai a strange look and Goku asked, "Is Hakkai broken?" _What is up with Hakkai?_

Gojyo responded with, "He's never acted this way." He hugged himself and shuddered. "It's creepy." _Is normal Hakkai too much to ask for? Seriously._

Hikari Maiden: Okay, now, that is funny!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own _Saiyuki_.

Note: I own Tara Belle.

**Heart**

~ Chapter Two ~

An abrupt scream with the sound of bloody-murder pierced the hot, midday skies. A young woman ran towards them, a strange creature close behind her. She screamed blood-murder a second time and tears hung in her eyes. Her entire body shook uncontrollably as she ran.

Hakkai stopped the jeep and hopped out. He glared down the monster before him. "Sanzo. I bet where there's trouble, there's answers."

Sanzo, Gojyo and Goku hopped out of the jeep and the jeep transformed into the pet dragon that belonged to Hakkai.

The young woman accidentally stepped into a hole with her right foot. It startled her because she hadn't expected a hole and she felt her heart jump as she gasped and her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. What followed happened so fast. Her right foot jerked to the right, all the way onto its side, and her right knee jerked out from under her. Her body came into harsh contact with the ground and she laid on her right side, legs crossed, butt over feet, and she moaned in pain, "Ow." _Curse my clumsiness._

She untangled herself and sat up, then, stood. She instantly felt pain in her right ankle. She tried to ignore the pain, but it got worse and worse. Tears filled her eyes as she mumbled, "Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow." Tears fell from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks, the pain in her right ankle so bad. She dropped to her knees, then, laid on her stomach. "Ow. Hurts."

Sanzo pulled the young woman from the ground and glared at her. "Idiot! What are you doing?" _Reckless woman!_

The young woman gave the monk a startled and confused look. "EH?" _What?_

"Don't give me that! You're in the way!"

"Oh! Sorry, sir! Forgive me, sir!"

He sighed. "Just go with Hakkai!"

"Oh! Okay!"

"Jeez!"


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own _Saiyuki_.

Note: I own Tara Belle.

**Heart**

~ Chapter Three ~

Hakkai took the young woman by the hand and they ran amongst the trees in the forest. "I'm surprised you're able to keep up without stumbling."

She felt every bit of pain in her right ankle, but shoved all of it aside and grinned. "Tara Belle is my name. Are you Hakkai Cho? Is the Buddhist monk Sanzo Genjyo? The Monkey King is Goku Son, right? Is the pervert Gojyo Sha?"

_What in the name? How does she know our names? _"Okay. How you know our names is beyond me."

"You may consider me insane for saying this, but it's true. My younger sister, her guy friend, my boyfriend, and I played a game where one had to guess the number the other person thought and if one got the number correct, the person who thought the number had to fall down. My sister's guy friend was the one who thought up the number and was the one who guessed. The boy fell every time I guessed. This is only one incident."

He curiously asked, "What's another incident?"

"My sister, my boyfriend, and I did 'Donald Duck Painted His Butt' in order to decide who would spray the other two with the water hose first. I thought the color orange and my boyfriend said the color orange."

"This is interesting."

"Also, in class, I thought of the part I would play in an assignment and I got just that part."

"I don't consider you insane."

"Some of my dreams have come true. This is scary. I hope nightmares don't come true."

"Probably not. You're able to counter nightmares and turn them into dreams."

"Duh! I enjoy Psychology and I forgot all about that!"

Hakkai chuckled. "You're funny."

Tara grimaced. _EEK! Oh, no! I bet he noticed! Burden I am!_

Hakkai, as a gentle should, slowed down. He stopped and lowered himself to the ground. "Come on. You're hurt."

She blinked at him. "Wha…? No way! I'm too heavy!"

He looked at her. "Please, hurry. Your life is in danger."

She sighed and climbed onto his back. "Okay, but tell me when I become too heavy."

He stood. "You're light as a feather."


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own _Saiyuki_.

Note: I own Tara Belle.

**Heart**

~ Chapter Four ~

Images flashed inside her mind and a strange emotion of intense fear stirred deep inside her heart. She gasped and her eyes widened. "Hakkai, stop! We must go back!" Tears filled her eyes.

He stopped and asked with concern, "Tara? What's the matter?"

She choked up on her words as tears dripped from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

"Tara, what is it?"

She shook her head from side-to-side.

"Tara, what's wrong?"

She gulped and her entire body shuddered uncontrollably. "I see something."

"We're safe for now."

_I'm scared! I'm so scared! _She squeezed her eyes shut and screamed, "No! Not us! Your friends!"

He calmly told her, "Are you sure? Maybe you're just tired. You've been through a lot."

"I'm serious!"

_I hope my words comfort her. _"Sanzo is an excellent leader. He and the others can manage a little while without me while I protect you."

"I feel it! Goku is in trouble! He's unconscious and he's about to be…!"

Hakkai took on a kind, yet firm tone of voice. "Tara. Tell me what's wrong."

"Images continually flash inside my head and intense fear stirs deep inside my heart." Her eyes burst open and she stared at Hakkai with a frightened expression. "Inside my head, now, I see through the eyes of someone else and feel the feelings of someone else."

He asked, "What are you going on about?"

"Hakkai! We have to go back! Your friends are hurt and they'll die if we don't go back and help them!"

Hakkai ran back towards his friends, Tara on his back.

_He has to know. _"Hakkai. You and the others don't have to risk your life to protect me. I'm grateful you guys are willing. You're all gentlemen. Thank-you. I feel I owe you all my life. However, I don't care if I die. As long as I've helped. This may seem selfish in some ways, but it's the truth."

_I want her to know. _"I'm glad you don't lie."

Hakkai and Tara soon arrived on the scene they had left some time ago and he told her, "You may make an excellent new edition to our team. Accurate as your visions and feelings are."

She glared at him from her spot. "It's not fun to wake from a nightmare in the middle of the night and the images continue to flash in front of my face. It's creepy." _Seriously._

"Right. Sorry." He lowered himself to the ground beside a severely wounded Goku and Tara slid off his back. He gave her a gentle, yet firm look and told her, "Don't wander off."

She grinned. _I'm going to be a smart-aleck. _"Task denied at the moment. Remember? My right ankle?"

_She has a saucy tongue. _"No need to get smart with me." He turned to Goku, quickly made sure his hands were germ free and began to tend to his wounds.

Tara found a severely injured Sanzo beside her and turned to Hakkai with a scared expression. "Hakkai. Please, hand me something to wash my hands and his wounds and I need some cloth wrapping."

Hakkai handed her the first aid kit. "You know first aid?"

She nodded. "I know a little." She quickly made sure her hands were germ free and began to treat Sanzo's wounds.

The young, youkai glanced at Tara from the corners of his eyes. _She looks pale and I think I know why and it seems there's a strength that's hidden deep within her that appears when people and animals are in trouble. I believe she possesses a special gift. I've gotten to know her special gift in the forest and where we are, now. She's smart, creative, artistic, big-hearted, and she has an attitude. Also, her mind places her in events and she experiences what that person, and what that animal, goes through. She sees the event through the eyes of that person, and that animal. Her heart and mind speak to her. Some of what her heart and mind say come true. She dreams. Some of her dreams come true. _

Sanzo opened his eyes a little and stared up at Tara. _Who…?_

She gasped and smiled down at him as tears filled her pale, blue-green colored eyes. "You're awake! Oh, you scared me! I thought you were going to die! I'm so happy you're alive!"

"You're ridiculous." _Strange woman._

Hakkai gave the young, blonde Buddhist monk a dark look. "Sanzo. Be nice." _She's been scared you'd die and she's happy you're alive._

Sanzo began to sit up, but Tara quickly tossed herself on top of him. "What the heck?" _Creepy woman!_

She laid diagonally on top of him. _I have to stop him. _"My attacker seems to be long gone. Please. I beg you. Don't search for more injuries and possible death."

Sanzo gave up and laid there. _I don't think I've met anyone as strange as her._ He felt something wet drop into his flesh and sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine. I promise. I'll stay and heal. Are you happy?"

She nodded and he heard a mumbled, "Thank-you."

He noticed her limbs didn't move afterwards and she began to breathe slower and heavier.

Hakkai chuckled and, so as not to wake Tara, whispered, "She fell asleep." _Aw. She's like a kitten._ He gently lifted Tara from her spot on top of Sanzo and placed her beside him. _She's so tiny._

Sanzo sat up and stared at Tara. _She's tiny._ He gave Hakkai a confused look and whispered, "This little person helped you heal my wounds."

He nodded. "She did a fine job."

Hakkai abruptly remembered. "Oh. Her right ankle."

Sanzo took one glance at her right ankle and grumbled, "No wonder. She wears black platform sandals. How does anyone walk in those things?" _Really._

When Tara woke, she no longer felt pain in her right ankle. "Oh, Hakkai! Thank-you! You healed my injury!"

Hakkai and Sanzo looked at each other. They hadn't spoken a word and she knew exactly what took place while she slept. This made them wonder a little if she really slept at all.

"You're so bubbly."

She spun around and almost fell, but someone caught her from behind.

She heard a voice behind her as her back bumped into someone. "Whoa, there. Careful. You'll fall."

She looked up at the person behind her with a curious expression. She noticed his blood-red eyes and his blood-red hair and a pretty, blood-red rose with pretty, blood-red petals gently dancing in the winter breeze as lovely, white flakes of snow drifted to a ground covered in a thick, fluffy, white blanket of snow.

Gojyo Sha looked at Hakkai and asked, "Why is she staring at me?"

Hakkai looked at her, then, at Gojyo. "Humour her."

Tara blinked. "Your…eyes…" Overwhelmed by the sight, she paused. When she resumed, she said, "Your…hair…" She paused again. Then, she said. "Beautiful…"

_Hmm…I wonder… _"Tara."

She looked at Hakkai. "Yes?"

"What are the images inside your mind?"

"I see a pretty, blood-red rose with pretty, blood-red petals gently dancing in the winter breeze as lovely, white flakes of snow drifted to a ground covered in a thick, fluffy, white blanket of snow."

Gojyo gaped and his eyes widened. He stared at her like that for a few moments until he regained his composure from shock.

"This is one of the reasons she may be good for our team. Another reason is that she may strengthen the bond of friendship between us four men."

She felt her heart skip and begin to dance with excitement. "Count me in, Hakkai!"

Gojyo grinned at her. "Okay, but it's dangerous."

She gave him a determined look. "I'm not a scared little girl! You're not babysitting!"

Hakkai chuckled. "She's stronger than she looks." He looked at Sanzo. "Sanzo. Expert level. Skill flexibility."

One again, Gojyo gaped and his eyes widened and he stared at Tara as she displayed amazing skill in flexibility. _Sanzo seems to struggle to keep up with her speed. Her size is perfect. She seems to zip by._

Sanzo caught her feet and she whined, "Aw, man!"

_Oh, no! _"Don't you dare tickle my feet! I'll fall on my head!"

_The idea is hard to resist._

She yanked her feet from his hands and swung her legs in an arch to the right. Both her feet landed on the ground at the same time.

Sanzo came at her.

Again, she flipped herself onto her hands and her legs swung in left arch from the ground towards the sky. Then, she began to turn in a full circle, faster and faster. She parted her legs and felt her heel hit something. She closed her legs and zipped around in a right arch from the sky towards the ground. Again, both her feet landed on the ground at the same time.

Sanzo stared at her as if she were insane. "Where in the world did you learn those moves?"

She smiled up at him and shrugged. "I combined my dance and yoga moves with martial arts."

"You're weird."

She glared at him as her nose and cheeks turned into the color of an intense blush. "Oi! Sanzo! That's not funny!"

_Aw. She's embarrassed. Kawaii._

Goku Son abruptly appeared before Tara and she screamed as jumped a few inches off the ground.

She stood before the Monkey King and panted, her hand where her heart, now, pounded inside her chest. "Y-You…You…startled…me."

"I'm sorry." _She's cute and cool._

She smiled at him. "It's fine, Goku. I'm easily startled."

Hikari Maiden: I created Tara Belle and I placed her in this story because I wanted a female character with talent and I wanted her to end up with the offer of joining the team because of her talents and because I want someone to strengthen the friendship between the four men. Gojyo and Goku may bicker less and less until they no longer bicker. Sanzo may have a better attitude. Hakkai may change someway as well. They all may stop smoking and drinking. I think the heart and mind of this young woman is able to do that. It's a moral.


End file.
